Category Archives: Politics

In which we’ve lost the scientific argument

Posted on March 7, 2026 by Jennifer Rohn

Today in the United States, researchers are marching in Washington DC and across the country in a Stand Up for Science National Day of Action. Their problems are admittedly a lot heavier than ours here in the UK, although a … Continue reading →

Posted in Nostalgia, Policy, Politics, Science is Vital, Science talking, Students, Teaching | 1 Comment

In which I ponder: could scientific angst beat nuclear war in a fair fight?

Posted on March 1, 2026 by Jennifer Rohn

When you are a scientist, your daily concerns revolve around mundane issues, so mundane that most normal people would struggle to recognise them as urgent: primarily funding woes, like I wrote about last week. But also publications, teaching, the dozen … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Staring into the abyss, The profession of science | Comments Off on In which I ponder: could scientific angst beat nuclear war in a fair fight?

In which I see through other eyes

Posted on January 23, 2019 by Jennifer Rohn

A few months ago I had a Twitter encounter with an American far-right Trump supporter. Unbeknownst to me, this man had been lurking and – as incongruous as it sounds – apparently enjoying my Twitter feed (which is largely, these … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Staring into the abyss | Comments Off on In which I see through other eyes

In which we need more lab coats in the Commons

Posted on September 11, 2014 by Jennifer Rohn

Like many commuters serving as a captive audience on the London Underground, I tend to read the free Evening Standard most nights. I enjoy the op ed pieces by Rosamund Urwin, who has always struck me as both light-hearted and … Continue reading →

Posted in Policy, Politics | 4 Comments

In which everyday sexism depresses me

Posted on July 15, 2014 by Jennifer Rohn

Today, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, David Cameron, reshuffled his Cabinet in preparation for next year’s General Election. There was a lot of speculation that he would up the number of women in his inner circle, as he’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | 20 Comments

In which we are inundated: the #ukstorm lingers on

Posted on February 17, 2014 by Jennifer Rohn

Britain is as soggy as a crumpet dunked in tea. (No Brits I know actually dunk their crumpets in tea, but it sounds suitably British, doesn’t it?) Even for a wet, rainy country used to wet, rainy winters, it’s been … Continue reading →

Posted in LabLit, Politics | 10 Comments

In which UK science funding faces a sudden new peril

Posted on November 25, 2013 by Jennifer Rohn

A spokesperson for Vladimir Putin recently mocked the United Kingdom for being a “small island” to which no one paid any heed. He is clearly not familiar with the UK’s impressive scientific reputation on the world stage: with just 1% … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, science funding, Science is Vital | 3 Comments

In which science policy suits up

Posted on July 12, 2012 by Jennifer Rohn

What must Britain do to retain its global scientific reputation in a changing world? This evening at the Royal Society, various men of science, industry and politics gave us their opinion (“UK Research: Building Bridges, Building Prosperity”). These included the … Continue reading →

Posted in Policy, Politics, science funding, Science is Vital, The profession of science | 17 Comments

In which we look to the horizon: science is more vital than ever

Posted on June 19, 2012 by Jennifer Rohn

When Science Is Vital joined with hundreds of other organizations to successfully fend off threatened cuts to the science budget in 2010, the next Spending Review seemed aeons away. By now, of course, most scientists in Britain have heard the … Continue reading →

Posted in Policy, Politics, science funding, Science is Vital | 3 Comments

In which I object

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Jennifer Rohn

I’ve just written to my MP, Simon Hughes (Liberal Democrat, Bermondsey and Old Southwark), airing my feelings about the Government’s hasty and ill-advised bill to track email, web and Skype communications of any citizen without just cause. A copy of … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Tagged | 4 Comments